NY surveying banks on cyber security

New York financial regulators have surveyed more than 200 banks and other financial institutions about their cyber security and will soon expand their analysis to insurers with trillions of dollars of assets.

Financial Services Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky, addressing a state Senate hearing Monday, says New York has “tempting targets” for computer crime as a national center of finance and business, citing some well publicized website attacks on American Express, JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Joseph Griffo says cybercrime is a major issue, one England now considers a greater threat than nuclear war.

Officials say the New York State Intelligence Center, run by state police, recently relocated to suburban Albany with the Center for Internet Security, a nonprofit contractor that monitors state agency and authority computer systems.